Our Team

Dr. Yaniv Phillips joined Columbia Health in 2004. Prior to Columbia, he was a senior clinical psychologist and supervisor at North Central Bronx Hospital, where he worked with HIV patients and their families, men with sexuality concerns, and couples. Yaniv earned his B.A. at Tel Aviv University, Israel and his M.A. and Ph.D. at Adelphi University Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies. He completed his internship at the Karen Horney Clinic. He continued on to complete specialized training at the advanced couples and family therapy program at the New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis.

Dr. Phillips’ professional interests include couples therapy, the psychology of immigration, relationship issues, and men’s experience of intimacy and sexual health. He sees individuals and couples for psychotherapy, and conducts experiential workshops for couples on enhancing relationships, as well as offering ongoing intensive workshop on procrastination. A member of the Counseling and Psychiatric Services' Outreach Team, Yaniv is bilingual, fluent in English and Hebrew.

Dr. Wendy Greenspun joined Columbia Health in 1995. Prior to Columbia, Wendy created and directed the Family Therapy Unit at New York Foundling Hospital. Early in her career she was a clinical associate at the Ackerman Institute for the Family. She also had a faculty appointment at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she taught and supervised family therapy.

She earned her BA at the University of Colorado at Boulder and her PhD at Adelphi University's Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies. She completed her internship in clinical psychology at Bronx Psychiatric Center and went on to do further advanced training at the Ackerman Institute for the Family. She completed psychoanalytic training at the Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis.

Wendy's professional interests include couples therapy, the integration of psychoanalytic and family systems theories, helping individuals cope with a family member who has a severe psychiatric illness, spirituality, mindfulness meditation, coping with pain and medical illness, and trauma experiences in couples and families. In addition to her work at Columbia, she is also on the faculty of the Postgraduate Program in Marriage and Couples Therapy at the Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies at Adelphi University and the Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis. She has published in the fields of couple and family therapy, as well as psychoanalysis.

Wendy Carolina Franco joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to Columbia, she worked at Maimonides Medical Center’s Child and Adolescent Outpatient Clinic in Brooklyn. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Maimonides Medical Center, where she gained specialized experience working with adults with chronic and severe psychiatric disorders.

Franco’s professional interests and specialized training experiences include first-generation American identity development, acculturative stress, race and ethnicity, group therapy, as well as innovative treatment approaches for trauma and addictions.

Dr. Victoria Grosso-Goddard joined Columbia Health in 2003. Prior to Columbia, Victoria was a supervising psychologist at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital. She has also worked at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Therapeutic Nursery and was a staff psychologist at Trinitas Hospital. She earned her BA at Fordham University and her PhD at City University of New York. She completed her internship in clinical psychology at Roosevelt Hospital.

Victoria's professional interests include trauma and bereavement, acculturation, working with international students, and the integration of mindfulness and spirituality into therapeutic practice.

Valerie Browne joined Columbia Health in 1987. She is the business manager and provides central support regarding financial operations. When she's not working, you can find Valerie engaged in a variety of community theatre projects.

Education:

BS, Marketing & Minor in Business Management, Long Island University

Memberships:

Teshiro Aldonza joined Columbia Health in 2013. Prior to that, he worked at the Educational Alliance as a systems and database administrator. Teshiro grew up in St. Lucia and worked as a forest ranger before migrating to New York.

His interests include technology, sports, nature, hiking, running, and everything related to forests. He sometimes jokes that the forest is his natural habitat.

Tahshann S. Richards, D.O., M.P.H., joined Columbia Health in November 2015. Tahshann is a board-certified family physician with special interests in reproductive health, behavioral health, health promotion and osteopathic manipulative medicine. After receiving her medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (now Rowan University), Tahshann returned to her hometown of the Bronx to complete her family medicine residency at St. Barnabas Hospital. She spent the early part of her career as staff physician in St. Barnabas Hospital’s Adolescent Medicine Department, where she helped write and implement a New York State Department of Health Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention grant, as well as help develop the Teen Health Center and supporting Youth Development programs. Tahshann later fulfilled her National Health Service Corps Scholarship service commitment at the Union Community Health Center, Bronx.

Prior to her transition to college health, she served as family medicine residency associate program director at St. Barnabas Hospital. She remains committed to improving the health of underserved communities, in addition to promoting the overall health and wellbeing of Columbia students, affiliates and their families.

Stephanie Jennings joined Columbia Health in 2003. Prior to joining Columbia, Stephanie was employed as an Office Manager of an outpatient clinic at Cornell University. She is originally from New York City and received a bachelor's degree from City College of New York and a master's degree from Columbia University.

Stacyann Reid joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to joining Columbia she worked as an Administrative Assistant at Mount Sinai Hospital in the Cardiology Department. She is originally from Kingston, Jamaica.

Sophia Cheng joined Columbia Health in 2015. Prior to Columbia, she worked as a customer service representative at Cigna, providing exceptional guidance and support to expatriates looking for quality international health insurance. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Sophia studied health policy and administration at Penn State University and completed an internship at Main Line Health Center.

When Sophia is not working, she enjoys researching new restaurants and dessert spots to add to her long list of places to eat in New York City. She also enjoys running, hiking, and biking around scenic areas.

Shirley Matthews joined Columbia Health in 2009. Prior to Columbia, Shirley was the director of counseling services at Seton Hall University. She received her B.A. from Hamilton College, M.A. in organizational psychology from Teachers College at Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from New York University. Shirley completed her doctoral internship in psychology at Gouverneur Hospital and Bellevue Hospital in New York City.

First and foremost, Shirley sees herself as a generalist who is deeply interested in the developmental issues of young adults. Additional areas of focus include community level mental health interventions, positive psychology, and the development of intuitive eating strategies as a means of developing optimal weight, health and fitness. Shirley also has a strong interest in developmental and acculturation issues, especially those of professional women of color. She also specializes in the treatment of individual, group and relationship counseling.

Dr. Sherina Persaud is a clinical psychologist at Columbia Health. Prior to joining as full-time staff, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Counseling and Psychological Services. Sherina completed a pre-doctoral internship at Mount Sinai Beth Israel with rotations in neuropsychology, child and adolescent psychology, inpatient and outpatient treatment for adults. She has also completed clinical externships working with women’s perinatal mental health, crisis intervention, substance use disorders, and community mental health in both Spanish and English.

Sherina earned her B.A. in psychology at Barnard College and her M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from The New School for Social Research. She has comprehensive research and clinical experience in sexual and gender identities, trauma-related disorders, substance abuse, attachment theory, and with families who have used assisted reproduction to conceive.

Working from a primarily psychodynamic perspective, Sherina aims to approach treatment in an open, nonjudgmental way to integrate various techniques to best fit the needs of the patient. At Counseling and Psychological Services, Sherina is on the trauma team as well as the sexual and gender identity issues team and the multicultural concerns team. Her professional interests include multicultural and racial issues, sexual and gender identity, women’s health, trauma-related disorders, mindfulness and substance abuse.

Sharon Sperling-Silber joined Columbia Health in 2011, when she and her husband, three children, dog and cat returned to New York City after living in the Washington, D.C., area for 15 years. As a nurse practitioner, her areas of focus are on wellness through nutrition, exercise and on sexual health. Sperling-Silber is also an adjunct lecturer in the nursing department at New York City College of Technology.

Prior to joining Columbia, Sperling-Silber worked in the operating room in a level-2 trauma hospital. Outside of work she enjoys group fitness, especially yoga and spin classes as well as outdoor cycling and following and Paleo/Keto diet and lifestyle.

Provides guidance to faculty, administrators and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations

Serena enjoys spending time with her family at Loon Lake, hiking the Adirondack Mountains, kayaking and reading a good book on the beach. She's looking forward to exploring museums, markets and restaurants in her new Manhattan home.

Sean Kim joined Columbia Health in August 2012. Prior to joining Columbia, he was the assistant director of budget and finance for University Event Management. He also worked with Columbia Business School and Faculty House as the restaurant associates' controller. Sean holds a B.S. in applied math statistics and a B.A. in economics from State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Sara Berger joined Columbia Health in 2005. Prior to Columbia, Sara was an administrator of outpatient and residential treatment programs. She also provided administrative and quality assurance consultation to a variety of mental health agencies, including the New York State Office of Mental Health.

Sara's professional interests include the administration of clinical programs to ensure that they remain responsive to the populations they serve and provide their client populations with highest level of clinical care. While Sara is licensed to practice social work, she uses her training to enhance her role as a full-time administrator at Counseling and Psychological Services.

Sandra Gomez joined Columbia Health in 2014 as a learning specialist at Disability Services. In her current role, Sandra does the following:

Serves on Disability Services leadership team

Facilitates individualized sessions and small group skill-building workshops that support the development of compensatory strategies and academic skills for students registered with Disability Services

Specializes in working with students on organizational skills for students registered with Disability Services

Specializes in working with students on organizational skills, time management and study strategies, note-taking skills, exam preparation, and other areas of academic concerns

Previously, Sandra worked as a learning specialist at Brooklyn Friends School and as a special education teacher at Winston Preparatory School in Chelsea. In her free time, Sandra enjoys writing, cooking, traveling, and stoop sale shopping.

Samuel Schnapp joined Columbia Health in 1993. Trained as a nurse practitioner, Sam has a background that includes home care, rehabilitation medicine and post-surgical patient care. His original commitment to teaching patients about health maintenance and disease prevention has been strengthened at Columbia Health by the students he works with who, he notes, "Often take a very active and positive role in maintaining their own health.”

Provides guidance to faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations

Prior to joining Columbia, Sadaf worked as a counselor with adolescents and adults with disabilities in the Washington, D.C., area. Sadaf also has a background and interest in mental health research. In her free time, Sadaf enjoys live music, traveling, reading, and exploring new cuisines.

Ruth Polanco joined Columbia Health in 1995. Prior to joining Columbia, Ruth was the assistant training coordinator at Atlantic Bank of New York, where she coordinated and provided customer service, effective management, conflict resolution, teller and computer trainings. As an administrative coordinator at Alice!, Ruth manages day-to-day operations and supervises the outreach coordinators student staff. She is originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and has lived in New York City since her early teens, considering herself a New Yorker at heart. Ruth's interests include dancing salsa, playing volleyball, reading and enjoying the city.

Dr. Rush Williams joined Columbia Health in 2016. Prior to joining CPS, he worked for the Washington, D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he focused extensively on issues related to gender identity, sexual orientation, and HIV status. Rush completed his internship in clinical psychology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where he also served as Chief Resident of the Clinical Psychology service. Rush was a member of the research teams at the Washington DC VA Medical Center(HIV), the VA North Texas Healthcare system (PTSD/military sexual trauma), and the Center for HIV Educational Studies and Training in NYC.

Rush’s deep commitment to the LGBTQ and HIV+ communities spans more than two decades, and includes work as a clinician, researcher, and advocate. Rush enjoys working with individuals on issues related to coming out, responding to stigma and bias, and navigating relationships. He is also passionate about the needs of military service members and their families, and has extensive experience working with Veterans. Additional professional interests include treatment for anxiety, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and psychological issues surrounding health behavior and chronic illness.

Rush also enjoys working with the unique challenges faced by performing artists. Prior to embarking on a career as a clinical psychologist, he trained as a classical musician, spent years as an opera singer, and worked extensively in executive development for a Fortune 500 company.

Roseann Neuberg joined Columbia Health in 2007. She began her career in women's health, working at several hospitals, two birthing centers, as well as Planned Parenthood. She transitioned to student health, where she worked at the Fordham University Health Service for 12 years. As a mother of three college-age children, Roseann feels a strong connection to the student population. She enjoys the diversity of student health, and focuses on education and prevention as integral parts of treatment.

Rita Rodriguez joined Columbia Health in 2000. She is responsible for financial matters in the business office of Columbia Health. Prior to Columbia, Rita worked in medical offices, where she gained a range of professional skills, including customer services techniques. Rita's personal interests include participating in a local book club, knitting and making jewelry.

Dr. Rick O’Keefe joined Columbia Health in 2004. Prior to Columbia, Rick worked in academic family medicine with a focus on increasing the quality and access to care for underserved communities in urban areas. O’Keefe developed programs that care for marginalized and LGBT adolescents in school-based and street settings.

As part of Columbia Health, Rick is a member of the men's health team, serves as medical advisor for Gay Health Advocacy Project and facilitates the Integrative Medicine Workgroup. He earned an M.A. in Social and Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2015.

Dr. Richard J. Eichler has a long affiliation with Columbia, having earned his BA, MS, MPhil, and PhD at Columbia. He joined what was then the Columbia College Counseling Service in 1986 as a staff psychologist. Since 1992, Richard served as director and subsequently executive director of the Counseling and Psychological Services division of Columbia Health.

While completing his PhD, Richard trained at a Veterans’ Administration clinic and at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he completed his internship in clinical psychology. Among other professional activities early in his career, he worked on a research project on sex role socialization in nursery schools and day care centers, reflecting a long-standing interest and commitment to gender equality. Prior to joining the Columbia Health team, he provided psychotherapy to a culturally diverse population at Bronx Municipal Hospital Center and concurrently studied the delivery of health care services for disabled and chronically ill children at the Preventive Intervention Research Center for Child Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Richard has taught numerous undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral courses in psychology and psychotherapy, including classes in human development at Columbia College and classes in psychodynamic psychotherapy and developmental psychopathology at Teachers College. He has also taught courses and seminars in adolescent development and college mental health practice at the Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Training Program of the William Alanson White Institute.

Dating back to his time at the Veterans Administration, he maintains an ongoing interest in the welfare of military veterans. Other areas of particular professional interest include: psychological opportunities and pitfalls of adolescence and young adulthood; early intervention and prevention strategies; the impact of cultural variables on personal development; evolving relationships through the lifespan; social injustice and trauma; psychological obstacles to academic and career success; and the application of psychoanalytic thinking to brief therapy.

Richard is also especially versed in helping students with learning disabilities navigate university life, and helping young adults and their parents renegotiate their evolving relationships. He is a frequent speaker at professional conferences and community events, addressing various topics such as transitioning to college, the social and emotional concomitants of learning disabilities, improving access to mental health care, and suicide prevention.

Richard has served as a consultant to the College Mental Health section of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, and in collaboration with its membership, co-authored a paper in response to mental health crises on college campuses. He currently serves on the Clinical Advisory Board of the Jed Foundation and on the Editorial Board of the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy.

Dr. Regina Lara joined Columbia Health in 2008. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City, and her Medical Degree at the University of the East – Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, also in the Philippines. She came to New York City for her residency in general adult psychiatry at Beth Israel Medical Center. Afterward she completed her two-year fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine/Mount Sinai Hospital.

Lara worked as an attending physician on the child/adolescent inpatient unit, as well as medical director for the Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic and Integrated Family Care Program at the Mount Sinai Hospital. She also worked for two years as a child psychiatrist with the Staten Island Mental Health Society.

Lara enjoys the opportunity to engage with young adults who are discovering and developing their identities while also navigating the challenges of an exacting academic institution. She is as interested in working with issues of adapting to a new country or culture while remaining steadfast in holding important traditions and beliefs. While working with her will usually entail the use of medications, whether for anxiety, or depression, or ADHD, she always emphasizes that incorporating non-pharmacologic practices and cultivating meaningful and healthy relationships are essential for anyone to achieve true mental and psychological health.

Raphael Coleman joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to joining Columbia Health, Raphael led the community well-being team within the Office of Health Promotion at Emory University. Additionally, his professional background in higher education includes experience with residence life, student conduct, and sorority and fraternity life.

As a college health professional, Raphael works to advocate for healthy behaviors, mitigate barriers to access, and build capacity for resilience in individuals and communities. To this end, his professional and academic work involves disrupting systems that negatively impact historically minoritized student populations in an effort to co-create environments that affirm students in all of their identities, facilitate their well-being, and enable their success. When not at work he enjoys brunching, visiting family and friends, karaoke, cooking, and taking advantage of the many happenings in New York City.

Education:

PhD, Counseling and Student Personnel Services, University of Georgia, College of Education (Expected Graduation August 2018)

MPH, Behavioral Science and Health Education, Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health

BS, Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, Emory University, College of Arts and Sciences

Certifications and Licensure:

Certified Peer Educator Training Facilitator

HIV Pre/Post Test Counseling Certification

Professional Experience:

Associate Director for Community Well-being, Emory University

Assistant Director for Prevention Strategies, Emory University

Interim Director of Residence Life and Housing Operations, Oglethorpe University

Memberships:

Ramona Lanzo joined Columbia Health in 1994. Prior to Columbia, Ramona worked as a laboratory technologist in various medical facilities and hospitals. She has been in the laboratory services field since 1985. Ramona attended Bronx Community College, where she majored in medical laboratory technology, and Lehman College with a concentration health services administration.

Rachel Rush joined Columbia Health in fall 2016. Prior to Columbia, Rachel worked as a social worker at Bellevue Hospital in both the Psychiatry Walk-in Clinic and the Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic, where she assisted individuals in getting connected to mental health resources. She also provided triage and crisis management services, conducted individual and group psychotherapy, and supervised graduate social work and psychology students.

Prior to Bellevue Hospital, she worked at the Center for Comprehensive Health Practice, where she provided individual and group psychotherapy to individuals with primary substance use disorders. She received her M.S.W. in clinical social work from New York University and her B.A. in religious studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Rachel also received her seminar in field instruction certification from the Hunter School of Social Work in 2014, and her certificate in relational psychotherapy/psychoanalysis from the Stephen Mitchell Center for Relational Studies in 2015.

Rachel’s professional interests include assisting individuals in connecting to mental health services that match their clinical and financial needs, as well as the intersection of spirituality and psychotherapy, identity development, mindfulness for stress reduction, and group psychotherapy.

Dr. Rachel Efron joined Columbia Health in 1992. Prior to Columbia, Rachel was the director of a drop-in center for homeless people with psychiatric disabilities and substance abuse issues in New York City. She was also staff psychologist at the Vernon Center for Psychotherapy and Sex Therapy.

Rachel completed an internship in clinical psychology at the Lawrenceberg Community Mental Health Center. Her professional interests include trauma, with a specialty in sexual assault, sexual abuse, and partner violence, as well as sexuality, Jewish identity, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues. In addition to her work at Counseling and Psychological Services, she is an advisor to the Barnard Columbia Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center.

Petra Amrani joined Columbia Health in 2014. Prior to Columbia, Petra worked at the Center for Intensive Treatment of Personality Disorders at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital. Her previous work experience also includes working in the psychiatric inpatient units at Long Island Jewish Hospital and Kings County Hospital.

She attended the University of Paris 13, where she earned a French diploma in clinical psychology. In 2003, she moved to the U.S. and completed her doctorate in clinical psychology at Adelphi University. Petra completed an internship in clinical psychology at Kings County Hospital and her postdoctoral fellowship in inpatient psychology at Long Island Jewish Hospital.

Currently, Petra is pursuing further training in short-term dynamic treatment for trauma within the treatment model of accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy. Her professional interests include depression, anxiety, trauma, identity issues, closeness and connection/isolation and loneliness, and the ability to adjust to life changes.

Paul Carbini is the Assistant Director of Direct Services for Sexual Violence Response, joining the team in September of 2014. In his role he provides direct services to students on sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and sexual harassment, as well as facilitates trainings and workshops for the Columbia Community. He also oversees the selection, training, and supervision of Sexual Violence Response’s Peer Advocate Program. Paul has also served as a Survivor Advocate and Prevention Coordinator within Sexual Violence Response.

Prior to joining the Sexual Violence Response team, Paul was an educator providing bystander intervention training on sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and harassment. During those years, he worked with universities across the country and the United States Navy and Marine Corps. He has facilitated trainings across four continents to thousands of men and women. Paul started his work in this field as an advocate at Central Michigan University with Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates, providing direct services to survivors of sexual violence.

Patricia Yoon joined Columbia Health in 2014. Prior to Columbia, she completed her internship at Mt. Sinai/St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, as well as a clinical psychology externship at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the CUNY Graduate Center and her B.A. in cultural anthropology from Cornell University.

Padma Entsuah joined Alice! Health Promotion as a health promotion specialist in June 2015. Prior to her position at Alice!, she served as the interpersonal violence prevention coordinator at Bucknell University, overseeing the sexual violence prevention efforts and coordinating a peer education group. At Alice!, Padma oversees initiatives for stress management, physical activity, nutrition, and relationships.

Originally from Maryland, Padma has lived throughout the East Coast. In her free time, she enjoys watching television, spending time with friends, and exploring all the exciting opportunities New York City has to offer.

Dr. Nonso Enekwechi joined Columbia Health in 2016. Nonso completed his residency in psychiatry at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center. He also completed his child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at New York-Presbyterian Hospital of Cornell and Columbia Universities, with a focus on child and adolescent public psychiatry.

Nonso earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, and masters of public health degree from the University of Iowa College of Public Health. In addition to his position at Columbia Health, he is also a child and adolescent psychiatrist at New York City Children’s Center.

Nicole Vigoda Gonzalez, Psy.D., joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, Nicole completed a pre-doctoral internship at Jacobi Medical Center with rotations in neuro-pediatric developmental psychology, medical rehabilitation, and inpatient and outpatient treatment for adults. She has also completed clinical externships working with survivors of trauma, cross-cultural issues, crisis intervention and community mental health with English- and Spanish-speaking populations.

Nicole earned her B.A. and M.A. in anthropology from the Universidad de los Andes in her hometown of Bogota, Colombia. Later, she completed an Ed.M in psychological counseling at Teachers College, and a Psy.D. in clinical psychology at Rutgers University. In her clinical work, Nicole uses a primarily psychodynamic approach, yet strives to create an individualized treatment that best fits the needs of the patient. As a bicultural and bilingual woman, Nicole pays particular attention to aspects related to cultural identity that may impact the treatment. In addition to English, she is fluent in Spanish.

Ngozi Okezie joined Columbia Health in 2007. Prior to Columbia, Ngozi was a staff psychiatrist in outpatient mental services and the director of child and adolescent outpatient services at Saint Vincent's Hospital, Westchester. She was also an assistant professor of psychiatry at New York Medical College.

Ngozi attended Bryn Mawr College and Yale University School of Medicine. She completed her psychiatry residency at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and went on to do further advanced training in child and adolescent psychiatry at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. She then completed a research fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry, concentrating on child mental services delivery. Ngozi's professional interests include ADHD, mood disorders and cultural issues.

Nelson J. Andujar is an engineer and information technology professional. His focus is on healthcare environments, enterprise technology applications, and sustainable development. Nelson considers himself on a mission to increase information management, knowledge development and utilization, and strategic learning for Columbia Health at the enterprise level.

Dr. Motoni Fong Hodges joined Columbia Health in 2015. Prior to Columbia, Motoni taught at Teachers College as a lecturer and adjunct assistant professor. Motoni completed her doctoral internship in counseling psychology at University of Oregon Counseling Center, postdoctoral fellowship on feminist psychodynamic psychotherapy at Stony Brook University Wo/Men’s Center, and psychoanalytic training at the William Alanson White Institute.

Motoni’s professional interests include acculturation and marginalization, and working with international students, students of color, and LGBTQ students.

Mónica Pombo, LCSW-R, joined Columbia Health in July 2017. Monica has worked with and advocated for survivors of sexual violence and gender based violence for over 15 years.

Prior to joining the Sexual Violence Response team, Monica was a project manager in the Office of Collaborative Policing at the New York City Police Department. Her work focused on developing, planning and managing initiatives that improved the NYPD’s response to victims of crime. Before working at the NYPD, Monica was the sexual assault program coordinator at the Crime Victims Treatment Center at Mt. Sinai St. Luke’s and Mt. Sinai West. In that role, she managed the operations of the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Program; provided bilingual, individual and group therapy for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and homicide survivors and co-survivors. She also provided trauma-informed trainings and workshops. Monica also worked at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as a counselor. She provided individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, case management, and advocacy for victims and witnesses of crime.

Monica has facilitated trainings and workshops for physicians, nurses, support staff, volunteers, students, criminal justice and mental health professionals (e.g., assistant district attorneys, judges, police officers, and social workers). Her areas of expertise are trauma and victimization, including dynamics of sexual assault and domestic violence. Monica has served in city and state task forces, advisories and coalitions that advocate for survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence and other crimes. In addition to her work at Columbia, Monica has a psychotherapy private practice on the Upper West Side.

Mimi Mendes de Leon joined Columbia Health in 2016. In her current role as Accommodations Manager at Disability Services (DS), Mimi does the following:

Serves on Testing team

Provides specialized oversight of exam accommodations for undergraduate students

Manages weekly exam schedule at Disability Services

Coordinates exam accommodations and proctoring arrangements for undergraduate and graduate students eligible for testing accommodations

Works closely with faculty and academic departments to coordinate proctoring of undergraduate exams; liaises with faculty to clarify any questions regarding testing procedures and proctoring specifications

Dr. Mika Awanohara joined Columbia Health in 2012. Prior to Columbia, she completed a four-year postdoctoral fellowship in intensive psychodynamic psychotherapy at the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Mika’s professional interests include working with treatment-refractory conditions (i.e., problems that persist despite prior treatments), trauma, eating disorders and body-image issues, self-defeating and destructive thoughts and behaviors, and longstanding relational difficulties (i.e., fear of intimacy and difficulty sustaining long-term relationships). She is also interested in multicultural issues, particularly the experiences of expatriates and the multiple challenges our increasingly global and mobile world poses to our sense of self and belonging. She believes that symptoms, however puzzling they may be, have meaning. Together with her patients, she works to decode what the symptoms might be trying to communicate.

Mika is active in group relations work and is a former president of the Center for the Study of Groups and Social Systems as well as an Affiliate of the A.K. Rice Institute for the Study of Social Systems.

Michael McNeil joined Columbia Health in 2006. Prior to joining Columbia, Michael led the health promotion office and was an adjunct faculty member at two other universities. He has been involved with a number of professional organizations including the American College Health Association, NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, The BACCHUS Network and the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.

Michael holds a B.A. in Sociology, an M.S. in Health Education, and an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership. Michael spent the first 12 years of his life living outside the United States. To date he has lived in six countries on four continents. When not working, Michael is an avid traveler (40+ countries on all seven continents and all 50 states), consumer of good coffee, a commercial aviation enthusiast and (very) amateur stand-up comedian.

Dr. Melanie Bernitz joined Columbia Health in 2016 as associate vice president and medical director. Previously she served as the executive director of the Student Health Service at Columbia University Medical Center. Prior to that position, Dr. Bernitz was a resident, chief resident, and faculty member in Columbia’s Center for Family and Community Medicine. Growing up in the United Kingdom, she received both her bachelor’s degree in psychology and a degree in medicine at University College London. She then received her master’s degree in public health at Columbia University.

Dr. Bernitz's professional experience includes teaching and training of medical students and residents as well as inpatient and outpatient primary care. She is an associate professor of clinical medicine in the Center of Family and Community Medicine and remains committed to ensuring that college students have direct access to high-quality, timely medical care.

Megan Kelly joined Columbia Health in 2017. In her current role as Accommodations Manager, Megan does the following:

Serves on Testing Team

Provides specialized oversight of exam accommodations for undergraduate students

Manages weekly exam schedule at Disability Services

Coordinates exam accommodations and proctoring arrangements for undergraduate and graduate students eligible for testing accommodations

Works closely with faculty and academic departments to coordinate proctoring of undergraduate exams; liaises with faculty to clarify any questions regarding testing procedures and proctoring specifications

Mary Beth Cull joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to Columbia, she completed her pre-doctoral internship at Maimonides Medical Center, where she completed rotations in the outpatient and inpatient services in the psychiatric Emergency Department and in neuropsychological assessment. She also has trained at the Child Development Center at Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services and at CARES, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital. In addition, she has provided therapy at the Long Island University Psychological Services Center and the Brooklyn Center for Psychotherapy. Prior to her graduate school training, she had clinical and research experience in the field of autism.

Mary Beth's doctoral research interests centered around feminist psychology, with a focus on body shame and the ways in which sexual objectification in the social milieu interacts with personal and family characteristics. Her professional interests cover a wide range of concerns, including identity development, depression and anxiety, relationship patterns, distress around body image, and trauma.

Maribel Castillo joined Columbia Health in August 2017. Prior to joining Columbia Health, Maribel was an administrative assistant in the Office of the Dean at Columbia College.

Maribel is a seasoned assistant with over 15 years in the field. Although, she started to attend school for music engineering, she fell in love with administrative work while working part time in the corporate world. She worked in the corporate world for most of her career before coming to Columbia in 2013.

Maribel comes from a very large family and spends as much time with them as possible. She loves to laugh—loudly.

Margaret B. Walker joined Columbia Health in 1986. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from The Derner Institute at Adelphi University, M.A. in French Poetry and Counseling Psychology from Tufts University, and B.A. from Boston University. While at Tufts, she taught French to undergraduates and worked for two years as an intern at the Tufts University Counseling Center. She completed her doctoral internship in clinical psychology at The Bronx State Psychiatric Center.

Maggi's interests have always focused on late adolescent development. She is particularly interested in the issues associated with leaving home for college and forming a separate identity from parents, which was the subject of her doctoral dissertation. She specializes in individual, couples, and group counseling, ADHD screening, body image issues and relationship issues.

Lisa Haileselassie joined Columbia Health in January 2015 as assistant director of Sexual Violence Response program’s office at Columbia University Medical Center. In September 2015, Lisa became the assistant director of Direct Services.

Prior to joining Columbia, Lisa was the domestic violence coordinator with Crime Victims Treatment Center at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital. There she provided both individual and group therapy for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and homicide survivors. Lisa also provided regular trainings for doctors, nurses, and support staff at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital on the dynamics of domestic violence. She also trained the medical staff on the protocols for assessing intimate partner violence in medical settings, particularly emergency departments.

Before joining St. Luke’s, Lisa was as counselor with the Kings County district attorney’s office, providing crisis counseling, advocacy, and group therapy to survivors with open cases. She worked on cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, crimes against children, and homicide. Later she became program coordinator for the Teen Dating Violence Program in their Domestic Violence Bureau unit. In 2001, she also worked as a child protective specialist assessing child abuse and neglect at Administration for Children’s Services.

Since graduating from Columbia University School of Social Work in 2004, Lisa's focus has been working with survivors of domestic violence, both clinically and in the criminal justice capacity. She also teaches the course Domestic Violence in Social Work Practice at Columbia and sits on various domestic violence task forces throughout the city.

Laura Dayan joined Columbia Health in 2013. In her current role as associate director of student case management, Laura does the following:

Serves on Student Case-Management Team and Disability Services leadership team

Evaluates and interprets disability documentation to determine eligibility for accommodations and services

Serves as coordinator/case manager for a small cohort of students with disabilities

Support students in resolving disability-related issues that may be a barrier to accessing programs

Liaises with other departments within Columbia Health as well as academic advising deans, global programs, graduate and professional programs, libraries, and other administrators to implement accommodations

Supports faculty and administrators regarding strategies for meeting the unique needs of each of each individual student as well as implementing and coordinating accommodations

In her free time, Laura enjoys cheering for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Steelers, watching Broadway shows, and cooking new recipes.

Laura Maudene Nelson is a nutritionist and instructor at the Columbia University Institute of Human Nutrition and teaches graduate nutrition, medical, dental, nursing, and public health students.

She has been active with the American Diabetes Association, where she serves on the national board of directors, and the American Heart Association, where she previously served on the board of directors of the New York City Affiliate, the Advisory Council, Heart-at-Work, Nutrition Counseling Workshop Planning Committee, and as a member of the Nutrition Committee. She has also served on the editorial board for RN Magazine.

Maudene volunteers for the American Diabetes Association making public presentations and reaching out to elected officials to advocate for people with diabetes. She also coordinates opportunities for work site and community nutrition projects.

Best nutrition advice: Eat mostly foods that grow from roots not feet, and, watch out for shiny food – it may be glazed not polished.

Education

B.S., Human Nutrition, Cornell University

M.S., Public Health Nutrition, Teachers College, Columbia University.

Certifications and Licensure

Registered Dietitian

New York State Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist

Certified Diabetes Educator

Professional Experience

Instructs classes on nutrition, exercise, and weight management to adults and children patients at the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, New York City

Nutrition assessments and counseling on home visits for Care Coordination Services, Philadelphia, PA

Nutrition counseling in worksite wellness for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and Merrill Lynch

Nutrition counseling in the student health service of Columbia University

Laura Walsh joined Columbia Health in 2016. In her role as coordinator at Disability Services, Laura reviews disability documentation; determines eligibility for services and accommodations; provides ongoing case management and supportive advisement on a range of disability and academic concerns; and works with undergraduate and graduate students

Prior to joining Columbia, Laura worked for many years with adults living with disabilities. Laura provided ongoing social and emotional support in order for those adults to achieve their life-long goals. In her free time, Laura loves yoga, attending concerts, cooking and coaching and playing lacrosse.

La’Shawn Rivera, M.A. has served as the Executive Director of Columbia University Sexual Violence Response & Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center (SVR) since August 2013. La’Shawn supervises all direct-services and prevention based staff-members, oversees all SVR campus-wide events and initiatives, and acts as a liaison to the Columbia campus and the New York City community through her participation in multiple taskforce initiatives and community collaborative committees. She leads a team of 10 full-time staff members as well as peer advocates, volunteers and casual staff dedicated to the eradication of sexual and gender-based violence.

Prior to joining the team at Columbia University, La’Shawn was the Assistant Coordinator at the University of Central Florida Police Department’s Victim Services Program for 6 years. Her work there focused on providing direct services to survivors and co-survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, elder abuse, and homicide. During this time, she also coordinated sexual violence prevention education programs on-campus and in the community, supervised and trained full-time Victim Advocates, and managed the volunteer program. During that time, she also served on committees implementing statewide violence prevention initiatives like Talk About It! and Coaching Boys Into Men.

She completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Bethune-Cookman University and received her M.A. in Applied Sociology with a concentration in Domestic Violence from the University of Central Florida.

Professional Experience:

Dr. Kwame Akowuah joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, Kwame was director of the Continuing Day Treatment program at the New York State Psychiatric Institute’s Audubon Clinic, where he also worked as a staff psychiatrist. Additionally, he was an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Kwame completed his residency training at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell Medical Center. He then went on to complete a fellowship in psychiatry and the law at New York University Medical Center/Bellevue Hospital.

Kori Bennett joined Columbia Health in 2015. Ze received hir doctorate of clinical psychology at the University of Indianapolis and completed a doctoral internship at Wichita State University’s Counseling and Testing Center. Prior to joining Columbia, ze completed postdoctoral fellowships at University of California, Merced Counseling and Psychological Services, and Stanford University’s CAPS in the Gender and Sexual Identities Track. Much of Kori’s clinical and outreach work has focused on the wellbeing of students who are gender expansive, sexual minority, international, and first generation.

Ze is also interested in working with students to explore issues relevant to identity intersectionality, gender and sexuality, perfectionism, mindfulness, and relational patterns.

Kirsten deFur joined Columbia Health in August 2014. As the assistant director of training and prevention, she oversees the training, education, and prevention components of Sexual Violence Response, including programs for new students, student leaders, student groups, faculty, and staff. She works closely with the program’s prevention team to develop and implement engaging and informative content for the Columbia University community related to preventing sexual and gender-based violence and promoting healthy sexual decision-making.

Prior to this role, deFur directed the NYC Healthy Relationship Training Academy, a peer education initiative of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence. In that role, Kirsten supervised a team of peer educators, developed new workshop and training curricula, facilitated educational sessions with teens, parents, and organizational staff, and participated in interagency collaborations. In addition, deFur is a freelance trainer for Our Whole Lives, a comprehensive sexuality education program for middle and high school students as well as adults.

Kelvin joined Columbia Health in 2009. In his current role as assistive technology specialist at Disability Services, Kelvin works with students, faculty and staff to assess their assistive technology needs, provides demonstrations of and installs software and hardware on both PC and Mac platforms that meets the disability-related needs of students, faculty, and staff, and oversees the provision and creation of alternate format materials (E-text, large print, etc.) for students eligible for this accommodation

Kelvin enjoys spending time with friends, challenges himself by troubleshooting electronics, and enjoys working on his car or home improvement projects.

Keith joined Columbia Health in 1993 and began working in Disability Services in 2008. Outside of work, Keith is a talented artist whose work is sometimes featured in the office. Keith enjoys sketching and drawing using a variety of mediums including markers, charcoal pencil, and acrylic paint.

Provides guidance to faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations

Prior to joining Columbia, Katie worked in other schools in New York City as a school counselor and in disability services. Prior to her work in New York City, she taught English in Tokyo, Japan for four years. Katie loves knitting, running, biking and traveling. She loves trying different kinds of food and is often exploring restaurants.

Katie Wilkinson joined Alice! Health Promotion as a health promotion specialist in February 2014. Her work in public health has focused primarily on the college population. Prior to joining Alice!, she was a sexual health education coordinator at Purdue University and coordinator of educational services at Penn State University. she currently oversees some of the administrative operations for the Go Ask Alice! website along with other priority projects.

Katie is originally from southern Indiana. While she is a Midwesterner at heart, she takes advantage of all the fantastic things New York City has to offer. In her free time, she enjoys crafting, cooking, baking, reading, finding her next favorite restaurant and all things comedy-related. She is also a human companion to a cat named Harry and another human named Matt.

Karina Cruz joined Columbia Health in August 2014. Prior to joining the Sexual Violence Response staff, Karina was first a victim service coordinator and then transitioned to program coordinator at the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center–Violence Intervention and Treatment Program in Brooklyn. While there, she provided individual counseling and therapy services to survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and other crimes. In her role at Wyckoff, Karina coordinated efforts around Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. In addition, she trained medical professionals and community members on how to address violence and abuse within communities and in the medical field.

At Columbia Health, she provides direct services to students on sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and sexual harassment, as well as facilitates trainings and workshops for the Columbia University Medical Center community.

Certifications and Licensure:

Memberships:

Julia Perault joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to Columbia, Julia worked as a senior social worker at Bellevue Hospital in inpatient and outpatient mental health settings. Julia completed advanced training in relational psychotherapy/psychoanalysis at the Stephen Mitchell Center for Relational Studies, and in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies. She received a Seminar in Field Instruction certification from the New York University Silver School for Social Work, and supervised social work and psychology graduate students at Bellevue Hospital. She trained in prevention and early intervention for families and young children at the NYU Child Study Center, the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and the Anna Freud Center in London.

Julia is committed to creating a trusting and supportive relationship that adapts to the individualized needs of the student. Her professional interests include young adulthood transitions, self-esteem, race and social justice, gender and sexual identity, interpersonal relationships, and the integrative use of creative expression, mindfulness, body movement, and guided imagery in healing and emotional regulation. She uses her extensive experience in navigating the complicated referral systems in New York City to help students connect, when needed, to community resources that best fit unique needs.

Jordana Jacobs, Ph.D. joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, Jordana completed a pre-doctoral internship at Bellevue Hospital Center with clinical rotations in the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, Adolescent Inpatient, Rehab Medicine and Outpatient Services. She has also completed externships working with a variety of populations, including terminally ill cancer patients, substance users and emerging adults. Jordana earned her B.A. in psychology at Tufts University and subsequently received her M.A. and Ph.D. from Long Island University Brooklyn.

Jordana practices largely though a psychodynamic lens, while simultaneously integrating existential psychotherapy into treatment. By creating an open, safe environment, Jordana helps her patients feel more comfortable embodying their true selves, all the while focusing on enhancing meaning and purpose in their lives. Her professional interests include emerging adulthood, relationship issues, couples and sex counseling, mindfulness, and meaning-centered psychotherapy. Jordana’s research has primarily focused on the relationship between death awareness and love, most recently in her dissertation entitled “Till Death do us Part: The Effect of Mortality Salience on Satisfaction in Long-Term Romantic Relationships.”

Joli M. Ienuso, MEd completed her Masters of Education in Human Sexuality from Widener University in 2016, and her Bachelors of Arts in Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies from Barnard College in 2012. She began her work with Sexual Violence Response & Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center (SVR) of Columbia University in January 2016. With SVR, Joli develops and implements workshop in a wide range of topics related to healthy sexuality and violence prevention for student and administrative populations. Within her role, Joli also provides direct services to students as a certified rape crisis counselor. Joli is the co-chair of the Manhattan Sexual Assault Task Force Campus Subcommittee and an authoring member of the Curriculum Committee of OutSmart NYC.

In May 2018 Joli received the Lydia Martinez Multidisciplinary Collaboration Award for her work as a Sexual Violence Preventionist. Joli has been a featured speaker at national conferences including, but not limited to, National Sex Ed, American Men’s Studies Association (AMSA), American Association of Sexual Educators Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), and National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Strategies Conference.

Jennifer joined Columbia Health in 2018. She worked as a RN in the ambulatory care setting for 4 years, working with various patients of all ages. Her interests include women's health and public health.

Jennifer joined Columbia Health in November 2017. In her role as the Assistant Director, Accommodations Services, Jennifer does the following:

Serves on Testing team and Disability Services leadership team

Oversees all aspects of the testing accommodations and exam administration processes

Oversees all of DS undergraduate test proctoring services. Links students and faculty together, ensuring that DS students can efficiently access their testing accommodations, while also supporting faculty in their efforts to administer those accommodations, when applicable

Supervises the recruitment and training of student staff, including exam proctors and graduate assistants

Jennifer originally hails from Georgia, but spent the last decade in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. In her free time she loves to watch college football, travel, and listen to live music.

Javier Cordova joined Columbia Health in 2007. Prior to Columbia, Javier worked as an administrative assistant at a nursing and rehabilitation center in New Rochelle, New York. Javier has eight years' experience working as support staff in a clinical setting. Javier's interests include movies, dining, sports, and traveling. He plans to pursue a degree in computer science.

Janelle Hughes joined Columbia Health in 2007. As a Referral Coordinator, Janelle assists students with benefit and insurance claim inquires. She is a native New Yorker with Caribbean roots. In her down time, she loves spending time with her family, volunteering at her home church in the Bronx, mentoring local teens and serving as a community liaison, and traveling.

James Pollock joined Columbia Health in 2014. He received his Ph.D. from New York University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical health psychology at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Yale School of Medicine. At New York University, Pollock studied and published on behavioral research in HIV, substance use, sex and mental health.

James enjoys teaching and was an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College for several years. He is currently an adjunct professor at New York University in the Mental Health Counseling Program. Prior to pursuing a career in psychology, he was a New York City public school math teacher in the South Bronx. A Teach for America alumnus, he remains committed to multiple social justice issues.

James has trained in LGBTQ mental health in multiple settings, including the Institute for Human Identity and St. Vincent’s Medical Center. He is dedicated to supporting LGBTQ students. Other professional interests include Health Psychology and Veterans health and wellness. He is also committed to working with students to address problematic substance use and other addictions. James is an editorial board member for the Journal of Substance Abuse and Alcoholism.

Jaleassia joined Columbia Health in August 2017. In her role as assistant director of campus access and accommodations, she does the following:

Serves on Disability Services leadership team

Manages non-academic accommodations for students, including housing accommodations, service and assistance animals on campus, sign-language interpreting, and CART services as well as campus access accommodations

Provides guidance to faculty, staff, and students regarding accessibility issues and works closely with Housing, Facilities, Public Safety, and the University Registrar to implement campus access accommodations

Dr. Hina Pant has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is licensed as a psychologist in the states of New York and New Jersey. She uses an integrative orientation in her clinical work, combining aspects of psychodynamic and cognitive therapy, with an emphasis on cultural factors. Her clinical interests include issues related to cultural identity and immigration, anxiety, depression, international student concerns, support for LGBTQ students and first generation college students. Her research interests include personality assessment, psychotherapy outcome and acculturation.

Dr. Helene Keable joined Columbia Health in 2004, while continuing as a psychiatrist at the Columbia University Medical Center Student Health Service. Prior to joining Columbia, she received her M.D. from Laval University in Canada and completed residencies in internal medicine at McGill Hospital Center, as well as in pediatrics and psychiatry at Mt. Sinai Hospital Center in New York. She went on to further advanced training in consultation-liaison at Long Island Jewish Hospital and psychoanalysis at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute.

Helene's professional interests include the impact of gender, trauma and culture on the development of young adults, the optimal integration of psychotherapy and medication, learning problems in young adults, and systems of delivering health care. In addition to her work at Columbia, she teaches and supervises the faculty of the New York Psychoanalytic Institute and the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Mt. Sinai Hospital. She has written and lectured on the impact of medical illnesses on the psychological development of teenagers and young adults, and on the integration of psychotherapy and medication.

Dr. Gregoriy Grenader joined Columbia Health in 2012. Gregoriy earned his BA in psychology from CUNY Brooklyn College, graduating with honors. Prior to earning his DO from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, he was a certified emergency medical technician. He completed his post-graduate residency training in family practice at North Shore/Long Island Jewish Plainview Hospital in Long Island, New York. Gregoriy enjoys home improvement, music, and traveling.

Gina joined the Alice! Health Promotion team as a health promotion specialist in 2017. Prior to joining Alice!, Gina worked with the digital health clinic Maven, designing and implementing outreach strategies for Maven Maternity. Additionally, her experiences as a teaching assistant and program facilitator allowed her to work with students ranging in age from fourth grade to the graduate level. At Alice!, Gina oversees the day-to-day operations of the Go Ask Alice! website, Alice!’s social media presence and other priority projects.

Gina is originally from northwest New Jersey. In her spare time, Gina can often be found reading, seeing musicals, spending time with friends, playing board games or wandering around bookstores.

Fareeha B. Sattar, DO joined Columbia Health in December 2016. Dr. Sattar is a board certified family physician. Prior to Columbia, she provided care to underserved populations, practicing as a family physician in various homeless shelters in New York City.

Dr. Sattar completed an internship at Long Beach Medical Center, and her residency training at Mercy/Methodist Hospital in California. She received her medical degree from Western University, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in California, and is also a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley.

She is a native Californian, transplanted to New York, and enjoys traveling, global medicine and spending time with her family.

Education:

D.O., Western University, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

B.A., University of California at Berkeley

Certifications and Licensure:

American Board of Family Medicine, Board Certified

New York State Medical License

Basic Life Support (BLS) Certified

Professional Experience:

Eugenia Cherkasskaya joined Columbia Health in 2014. Prior to Columbia, she completed a clinical psychology internship at Beth Israel Mount Sinai and a clinical psychology externship at Bronx State Psychiatric Center. She also worked as a clinical fellow in college mental health at the City University of New York College of Staten Island.

Eugenia's professional interests include trauma, sexual health and women's sexuality, couples therapy, relationship and identity difficulties, and developmental issues specific to emerging adulthood, as well as mental health concerns associated with international humanitarian and development fieldwork.

Prior to joining Sexual Violence Response (SVR), Emily worked for L.I. Against Domestic Violence, a non-profit organization on Long Island, advocating for survivors of domestic violence, intimate partner violence and sexual assault. Emily spent her time working within Suffolk County precincts and Suffolk County Criminal and Family Courts engaging with survivors, police and court personnel in an effort to facilitate relationships and positive outcomes.

In addition to navigating survivors through the criminal justice system, Emily educated civilians, survivors, police officers and prosecutors on various topics such as: DV, IPV, cycle of violence, and survivor rights. During her time working in precinct advocacy, Emily also volunteered for VIBS, performing the role of volunteer Rape Crisis Counselor.

Certifications and Licensure:

Dr. Elizabeth Mirabello joined Columbia Health in 2015. Prior to Columbia, Elizabeth was chief of psychiatry at Northern Westchester Hospital. She has worked also as a staff psychiatrist at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in various clinical settings including inpatient, emergency room and the intensive outpatient program. She was also an assistant clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.

Mirabello attended Barnard College and Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. She completed her psychiatry residency at the New York Hospital Payne Whitney Clinic (now New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center). Her professional interests include mood and anxiety disorders as well as women’s issues in psychiatry.

Elizabeth Shelley, DNP, FNP-BC joined Columbia Health in 2016. She graduated from Barnard College in 2006 and played on the Columbia University’s Varsity Volleyball team during this time. She later received her nursing degree from the University of Rochester School of Nursing and her family nurse practitioner as well as doctor of nursing practice from Columbia University School of Nursing.

Prior to Columbia, Elizabeth worked as a registered nurse on a medical neurosurgical unit, as a primary care nurse at Barnard Health Services, and as a private duty nurse in New York City before becoming a family nurse practitioner. She worked as a family nurse practitioner at a federally qualified health service center in New York before joining Columbia Medical Services.

Education:

D.N.P., Doctor of Nursing Practice, Columbia University, School of Nursing

M.S.N., Family Health, Columbia University, School of Nursing

B.A., Neuroscience & Behavior, Columbia University, Barnard College

Certifications and Licensure:

Certified by American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

Licensed to practice medicine in the State of New York

Basic Life Support (BLS)

Breastfeeding Specialist Certificate (BSC)

Professional Experience:

Preceptor in ambulatory care for Columbia University School of Nursing student nurse practitioners

Family Nurse Practitioner in a Federally Qualified Health Center

Registered Private Duty Nurse in New York City

Registered Nurse at Barnard College

Registered Nurse at Strong Memorial Hospital

Professional Memberships:

Elisa Lee, Ph.D. joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to joining Columbia, she completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Cambridge Health Alliance and a clinical psychology internship at Pace University’s Counseling Center. She also worked as a clinical fellow in college mental health at John Jay College. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the City University of New York Graduate Center.

Elisa’s professional interests include gender roles, trauma, anxiety and depression, identity development specific to emerging adulthood, and the impact of intersectionality on mental health.

Dr. Eduvigis Cruz-Arrieta joined CPS in February 2018. She is a licensed Clinical Psychologist with 20 years of experience in health psychology. Prior to Columbia, she was a supervising psychologist at Lincoln Medical Center, part of the NYC Health & Hospital/Physicians Affiliates Group of NY. She is also an Adjunct Associate Professor of medical psychology at the CUNY School of Medicine.

She has been dedicated to providing quality care to underserved communities in NYC. As staff member of the CUMC Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Blood & Marrow Transplantation service, she served as Chair of its Diversity & Health Disparities Committee of the Children's Oncology Group. In her role, she participated in advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill representing the viewpoints of stakeholders about disparities in healthcare.

Dr. Cruz-Arrieta received her B.A. from the University of Puerto Rico where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, followed by a M.A. in Clinical Psychology. She completed her clinical internship and pre-doctoral fellowship at NYU Bellevue Clinical Psychology Internship program, and received her doctorate from the City University of New York Graduate Center at City College. Her expertise and interests includes mood disorders, chronic illness, eating disorders, trauma and post-tramatic stress, life transitions (loss, grief, and end of life),multicultural concerns, as well as diversity and health disparity-related issues, complementary medicine (body/mind coping strategies; hypnosis; homeopathy), and psychology and the arts.

Eduvigis is originally from Puerto Rico and Spanish is her first language. She has resided in New York City since 1988, after retiring from professional classical ballet dancing and serving as an educator with Ballets de San Juan. Eduvigis believes in people’s capacity for continuous change and renewal, as they identify and fortify their inner strengths. Her goal is to help members of the Columbia University community to reach their goals.

Drew Bianchi joined Columbia Health in 2014. Prior to Columbia, he completed his residency in adult psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical School and his fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at New York University. In addition to his work at Columbia Health, he is also a staff psychiatrist at Barnard College.

Drew's professional interests include the treatment of anxiety and depression in young adults. He is also interested in the clinical application of mindfulness meditation, spirituality in psychiatry and is pursuing advanced studies in Jungian psychoanalysis.

Dr. Doreen Han-Faver joined Columbia Health in 2015. Prior to Columbia, she worked as an attending psychiatrist at Mount Sinai Hospital inpatient child/adolescent psychiatric unit and the psychiatric emergency room. She also worked in long-term outpatient treatment settings, including Charles B. Wang Community Health Center. She earned a BA in biochemistry at Columbia University and received her MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She then completed a psychiatric residency and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Doreen's professional interests include combined psychotherapy and psychopharmacology, mood and anxiety disorders, and cross-cultural issues.

Dr. Don Kreuz joined Columbia Health in 2009. Don has a very diverse medical background, which includes over ten years of experience in clinical academic medicine and a focus in men’s health. He has expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and sexual dysfunction. He earned his M.D. from the Universidad Central del Este and B.S. from Rutgers University. Dr. Kreuz is also a clinical assistant professor of medicine at the New York University School of Medicine.

Diana Morrobel, Ph.D., joined Columbia Health in 2013. Prior to joining Columbia Health, Diana worked as a psychologist and supervisor at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic for 11 years. In addition to her work at Columbia, she was an adjunct faculty member at Teachers College and supervised doctoral candidates in Clinical Psychology at City College. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Michigan State University and a B.A. from New York University. She completed her internship in clinical psychology at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.

Diana’s professional interests include acculturative stress and adjustment, multicultural and racial diversity, first-generation college students, developmental issues related to emerging adulthood, family and interpersonal conflicts, trauma and mood disorders.

Dr. Debra Domenech joined Columbia Health in 2001. Prior to Columbia, Debra was a supervising psychologist at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center. In addition to her degrees from Fordham University and The City University of New York, she completed advanced training at the New York University Postdoctoral Program, where she obtained a certificate in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis.

Debra's professional interests include psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy, cultural diversity issues, treatment of affective disorders, and couples therapy. In addition to her work at Columbia, she is a clinical instructor at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center.

Provides guidance to faculty, administrators and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations

In her free time, Deanna enjoys going to the beach, traveling, and running. She is an avid reader and likes spending time with her family and friends.

Dr. Dawn Mcallister is a Urgent Care Physician at Columbia Health. She studied medicine at the University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine and then moved to New York to practice at The Family Medicine Residency Program at Montefiore. Afterwards she went to the Family Medicine Residency Program at Columbia University Medical Center in 1997 and taught medical students and residents there for about nine years as an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Center for Family Medicine.

She moved away from the academic setting and worked at Community Health Centers where she could take care of patients regardless of their legal status or ability to pay for their health care. She has one son by birth who is now 16 years old and two by adoption from Ethiopia who are 15 and 10 years old. Dawn says she chose to come back to Columbia University in 2014 at the Student Health Service and truly enjoys with students, both optimizing health and treating health problems. As an androgynous lesbian mom, from a working class background, with African American sons, Dr. Mcallister hopes to offer a welcoming and supportive presence in the lives of all the students who come to visit at Columbia Health.

Education:

M.D., University of Cincinnati

B.A., History, University of California, Berkeley

Certifications and Licensure:

New York State Medical License

Board Certified: Diplomat of American Board of Family Medicine

Professional Experience:

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, Center for Family Medicine

Federal Qualified Community Health Centers in New York City and Westchester

Dr. David Hittson joined Columbia Health as a psychologist in 2017. He also completed his post-doctoral fellowship at Counseling and Psychological Services. Prior to Columbia, David trained at the Brooklyn and Manhattan campuses of the New York Harbor Veteran’s Administration Hospital, at Interfaith Medical Center, and at Barnard’s Furman Counseling Center. David attended New York University’s counseling psychology program and graduated in the summer of 2016. While there, his research interests focused on the relationship of acculturation to mental health. David’s professional interests include veteran’s issues, issues of acculturation, depression, anxiety, trauma, identity issues, relationship concerns, and adjustment concerns.

David Carney joined Columbia Health in 2017. He served as a critical care nurse in Albany Medical Center Neuroscience Progressive Care Unit prior to moving back to New York City after living in New York's Catskill mountains for 10 years.

Provides guidance to faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues;

Works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations

Serves as primary contact for graduate liaisons and program administration at CUMC to implement accommodations in a variety of academic, testing, and clinical settings

Provides support to faculty and staff regarding strategies for meeting the unique needs of students registered with Disability Services

In her free time, Dara loves to travel, cook, volunteer, create and appreciate art, explore local New York City neighborhoods and restaurants, cheer on the New York Giants, and participate in a variety of outdoor activities.

Daniel Chiarilli has been a part of Columbia Health since 2001, when he began volunteering as an advocate for the Gay Health Advocacy Project when he was a PhD student in Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. He worked alongside the project’s founder and director Laura Pinsky for many years. Daniel also meets with students who would like to stop smoking or using other tobacco products.

Outside of Columbia Health, Daniel is an adjunct assistant professor of music at Columbia and teaches in the Core Curriculum.

David Lopez graduated from Marist College with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in psychology. He enjoys working as a team to accomplish a unified goal. Working in Facilities is an interesting field and intrigues him on the day to day activities. David looks forward to expanding his knowledge at Columbia and creating new exciting experiences.

Dr. Cory Frank joined Columbia Health in 2002. Prior to Columbia, Cory was the assistant chief psychologist at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center. Earlier in his career, he was the director of an acute care psychiatric day treatment program at St. Luke's-Roosevelt for people with severe depression and bipolar disorder. He was also a senior psychologist at Queens Hospital Center.

Dr. Frank earned his BA at the University of Rochester, and his MA and PsyD at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University. He completed a clinical internship at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center. He has received advanced training in dialectical behavior therapy.

Cory's professional interests include working with people in a crisis state and group therapy. In addition to his position at Columbia, Cory teaches and supervises at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital.

Colleen S. Eng, DO, joined Columbia Health in 2014. Dr. Eng is a board-certified family physician who also performs osteopathic manipulative treatment. Prior to Columbia, she spent her career practicing as a family physician in Philadelphia and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in Westchester County, New York, and on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. She completed her internship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and her residency training at Aria Health (formerly Frankford Hospital), where she served as chief resident.

After a career in marketing and recruiting and the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Eng switched her focus to pursue a career in medicine. She received her medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine (now Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine), and her undergraduate degree from Cornell University. She is a native New Yorker and an alumna of the Bronx High School of Science.

Colleen Lewis joined Columbia Health in 2004. In her current role as Director of Disability Services (DS), Colleen does the following:

Serves on Disability Services leadership team

Provides vision and leadership to the design, organization, development, and implementation of services and programs offered through Disability Services

Oversight of student case-management, accommodations, services, and training needed to support students with disabilities at Columbia

Serves as a liaison to the faculty and greater campus community on issues related to a range of disabilities, accessibility, classroom and curricular accommodations, and laws related to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

Serves as campus expert for the provision and coordination of academic and campus accommodations for students with disabilities

Colleen enjoys baking-her specialties are cakes and rustic fruit desserts! She is also an avid baseball fan and tries to visit at least one new baseball stadium each season.

Education:

Colby Golder has provided nutrition therapy since she received a master’s degree in nutrition from Teachers College at Columbia University in 2009. As part of her clinical training in dietetics, Colby worked at the eating disorder unit of the New York State Psychiatric Institute. She was part of a multidisciplinary team that focused on the research and treatment of eating disorders for in-patient care.

Most recently, Colby worked at the prestigious Renfrew Center for eating disorders in New York City. Colby was involved in every level of therapeutic care including the day program, the intensive outpatient program, and individual nutrition counseling. She gained vast experience in nutrition therapy for those struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive exercise, and other forms of disordered eating. She routinely conducted weekly group sessions that focused on nutrition education, the management of therapeutic meals, and post-meal support therapy.

In addition to her work in Health Services, Colby also works in a private practice focusing on nutrition, eating disorders, and weight management by working with patients to cultivate a healthy relationship with food.

Dr. Brenda Aiken joined Columbia Health in 2000. Brenda served as a physician before being promoted to director of Medical Services in 2012. She is also an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University Medical Center.

Prior to Columbia, she was an assistant professor of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, as well as an assistant attending physician at the Allen Pavilion. She has worked closely with the faculty and staff of the residency program in social medicine at Montefiore Medical Center.

Dr. Aiken has devoted her professional career to the comprehensive study of medical and health-related issues of under-represented communities.

Binyamin “Bin” Kagedan, Psy.D., joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, Bin completed a pre-doctoral internship at Veterans Affairs NY Harbor Healthcare - Brooklyn Campus, where he worked primarily with individuals dealing with post-traumatic stress and substance use issues. Bin also has extensive experience in university counseling, having trained in student counseling centers at Rutgers University and The New School.

Bin has a range of interests in the field, including psychodynamic and experiential psychotherapy, sexuality and gender, religion and spirituality, creative arts and Buddhist psychology. He has researched social anxiety and the intersection of existential philosophy and clinical psychology. Bin is also trained in Mindfulness-Centered Somatic Psychotherapy (Hakomi Method), a therapy technique focusing on the way important feelings and experiences manifest in the physical body.

Bin earned a Psy.D. in clinical psychology from Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. He completed a B.A. in psychology and religious studies at Brandeis University, and also earned an M.A. from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America focusing on the meaning of religion in contemporary life.

Dr. Susan Vitti joined Columbia Health in 2016. Susan has spent the majority of her career working with veterans and their families. She worked for 10 years at Veterans Affairs and is intensely interested in the concept of moral injury as the central trauma of exposure to war and combat. The deep philosophical and moral wounds these experiences can leave have led to her focus and explore suffering and the human relationship with suffering. Susan is interested in the use of meditation practice and its by product, mindfulness. She employs therapy models that focus on the inherent efficacy of each person in determining a life course that suits them as unique individuals that centers on self-compassion, self-awareness and personal responsibility. These models include acceptance and commitment therapy, motivational interviewing and mindfulness-based practices.

For the last five years, Susan has been a volunteer group facilitator at Omega Institute’s annual 5-Day Veteran’s retreat, hosted by a Vietnam Veteran who is also an ordained Zen Buddhist Monk. In addition, she works with individuals who are interested in cultivating a healthier relationship with alcohol and other substances, which can include toxic relationships, high-risk behavior and anger.

Ashley Delphia is the manager of operations for the Sexual Violence Response & Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center, joining the team in February of 2015. Ashley is a seasoned higher education administrator whose nine years of experience in higher education includes working with student services, program management, advocacy, crisis intervention, and administrative management. Prior to joining the Sexual Violence Response team, Ashley was the department administrator for the Center for Neural Science at New York University. While completing her graduate degree in applied psychology, Ashley was a rape crisis advocate at Bellevue Hospital, where she was an on-call first responder, administering crisis counseling, intervention, and psychological first aid for primary and secondary survivors.

Education:

M.A., Applied Psychology (Specialization in Sexual Trauma), New York University Steinhardt School for Culture, Education, and Human Development

Certifications and Licensures:

Anuj joined Columbia Health in 2010. In his role as the Assistant Director of Operations, Anuj does the following:

Serves on Testing team, Administrative team and Disability Services leadership team

Specializes in implementation of academic accommodations, including note-taking services, exam accommodations and academic assistants such as lab and studio assistants; oversees the planning and execution of final exam administration and accommodations

Provides administrative leadership, support and assistance in resolving day-to-day operational problems related to the provision and delivery of disability accommodations and coordinates office wide initiative

Anuj hails from the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and is very well known by his friends and colleagues as a travel enthusiast. He enjoys visiting exotic islands, plane spotting, and jetting off on last-minute weekend getaways.

Dr. Annette Santiago-España joined Columbia Health in 2006. She became clinical team leader of the Eating Disorders Team in 2007. Prior to Columbia, Annette served as a psychologist at Princeton University Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services. She earned her Ph.D. in counseling psychology at Indiana State University, M.A. at Andrews University, and B.A. at Rutgers University. She completed an internship in professional psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Counseling Center.

Annette's professional interests include eating disorders and body image, mindfulness and spirituality, acculturation and racial/ethnic identity development. In addition to individual therapy, Annette also facilitates the women of color support group. She enjoys helping students and communities identify strengths and resources that promote healthy development.

Dr. Anne Goldfield joined Columbia Health in 1994. She received her Ph.D. from the Graduate Faculty of the New School for Social Research and her B.A. in Psychology at the City University of New York. Prior to Columbia, Anne worked as a clinical psychologist at North Central Bronx Hospital (NCB) and the Bronx Psychiatric Center and was director of the psychology externship program at NCB. She completed her doctoral internship in clinical psychology at The Bronx State Psychiatric Center.

Anne's professional interests include depression, anxiety, identity issues, first generation college students, the treatment of students with alcohol and other drug concerns, and developmental issues of emerging adulthood. In her outreach capacity, Anne works closely with many campus partners and student groups, and is committed to promoting mental health awareness on campus.

Anna Combs joined Columbia Health in 1995. Prior to Columbia, Anna was employed with Kelly Temps and had several working assignments in customer service. She is originally from Brooklyn and joined the United States Army after high school. Anna’s interests include indoor and outdoor sports, music, and gardening.

Andrew Colitz joined Columbia Health in 2014. Prior to Columbia, he completed a clinical psychology internship at North Shore Long Island Jewish-Lenox Hill Hospital, as well as clinical psychology externships at New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy, William Alanson White Institute, Maimonides Hospital and Mount Sinai Beth Israel. He also worked as a university mental health provider at Long Island University.

Andrew is interested in working with a variety of student concerns, including identity development, complicated relational issues and family dynamics, major life changes and adjustment, coping with traumatic experiences, as well as working with couples and students in group settings.

Dr. Allan Cassorla joined Columbia Health in 1997. He has served as associate director since 2001. Prior to Columbia, Allan was associate chief psychologist and director of training at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York.

Allan completed a clinical psychology internship at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center and held clinical appointments at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology of The City University of New York, and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center. Allan's professional interests include the diagnosis and treatment of a wide spectrum of psychological problems, as well as teaching and training mental health professionals.

Alicia Czachowski joined Columbia Health in 2014 as a health promotion specialist with Alice! Health Promotion. Prior to joining Alice!, she worked as a health promotion professional for Health Enhancement at Northern Illinois University and at Health Services at Hunter College. Alicia is very involved in professional organizations including the American College Health Association and The BACCHUS Network.

Alicia grew up in upstate New York and very much enjoys living in the city. When not at work, Alicia might be found enjoying science fiction TV, movies, and books, playing ice hockey, frequenting New York’s many parks and museums, or visiting friends and family.

Dr. Aisha Holder joined Columbia Health in 2015 as a postdoctoral psychology fellow. Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, she completed her internship at Princeton House Behavioral Health, as well as clinical psychology externships at Rockland Psychiatric Center, Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia, and Iona College Counseling Center. Prior to pursuing a career in counseling, Aisha was a vice president at JPMorgan Chase in the corporate training group as a facilitator and project manager. During her tenure, she also served as a human resources business partner in the Investment Banking and Consumer Banking divisions, as well as a senior career advisor and project manager in the Career Advancement Program and as an associate in the Human Resources Associate Program.

Aisha received her PhD in counseling psychology from Fordham University, her MA in psychological counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University, and her BA in psychology from Spelman College. Aisha’s professional interests include multicultural counseling, racial microaggressions, career development, and eating disorders.

Aditi Bhattacharya joined Columbia Health in 2017 as a prevention coordinator with the Sexual Violence Response program, where she supervises and manages the peer education initiative and designs and delivers trainings across the Columbia community. Her role in the program is expected to expand due to her diverse nonprofit and corporate experience in strategic relationship management, communications, and anti-violence program delivery.

Between 2001 and 2009, Aditi worked as corporate communications consultant for Fortune 500 companies and award-winning nonprofit organizations in India and Canada. As her engagement in social justice grew in scope, she shifted careers when she graduated with a masters in social work from Hunter College (now Silberman) School of Social Work in 2011. She has been an anti-violence advocate, program manager, community educator, and trauma clinician ever since.

Aditi joins the program after six years at Womankind and Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, where she supervised clinical staff and provided trauma-informed and culturally sensitive interventions. She developed a comprehensive program of sexual violence services for immigrants of color. While at Womankind, she built and managed the only multilingual, holistic wellness support group of its kind in the region for survivors of complex trauma. She has counseled survivors in six languages and plans to add more languages to her repertoire. She has delivered trainings and workshops to a wide variety of city and community-based agencies across New York and has also spoken at national and state conferences.

When not advocating for a more empathetic and accountable society, she cooks, reads, walks, and submits to the whims of her cats.

Dr. Addette Williams joined Columbia Health in 1999. Prior to Columbia, Addette completed a clinical psychology internship at North Central Bronx Hospital. She was also a therapist at the Brooklyn Center for Children and Families, and completed a graduate fellowship at the Psychological Counseling and Adult Development Center at The CUNY Graduate Center. She earned a B.A. in economics and political science from Yale University and a Ph.D. from The City University of New York. She has received professional training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and the Gottman Method for couples therapy.

Addette has a broad range of professional interests that include the psychological effects of trauma, the mental health of people of color, the integration of psychodynamically informed therapy with mindfulness-based practices, couples and gender issues. In addition, she facilitates a mindfulness group for those interested in learning how to meditate.

Adam Johnson joined Columbia Health in 2017. Adam received his doctorate in clinical psychology with a concentration in traumatic stress from the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, Ill. He also completed a fellowship in psychoanalysis with the Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis in 2012.

Prior to joining Columbia, Adam completed his doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the Veterans Affairs Caribbean Healthcare System in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He has also worked in a variety of settings including private practice, community mental health and medical clinics. His clinical work and interests have focused on issues related to trauma, loss, bereavement, health psychology (e.g. smoking cessation, weight management, chronic and terminal illness), mindfulness, and relational patterns.

Adam is committed to the mental health of LGBTQ and veterans. He enjoys incorporating an individual’s creative talents (i.e. music, art) and spirituality into therapy. Adam also has extensive experience working with issues related to acculturation and cultural diversity. He has completed international psychology projects focused human rights, education and program development in Mexico, Costa Rica, South Africa and the Dominican Republic.

Provides guidance to faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations

Before joining Columbia, Adam worked as a TV sports anchor and was lucky enough to report live from two Superbowls, three Final Fours, and a World Series. It is safe to say Adam is an avid sports fan (Yankees, Giants, Knicks).

As a proud alumnus of Quinnipiac University, for Abdul Staten, the college experience is where it all began. There, two distinct passions emerged – providing leadership training and development and making it fun; and raising awareness about rape, and engaging the entire community. Those passions have steered Abdul’s life work of preventing sexual violence, where, over the past 8 years he has facilitated bystander intervention programs, taught media literacy campaigns, and implemented trainings and groups on sex trafficking and exploitation.

Most recently, Abdul worked at Trinity College where he managed sexual violence prevention programming, advised the student organization that implements awareness-raising programs (there, his student group won “Most Educational Program” for their 2016 “Take Back the Night” event) helped found a masculinity group that educated the campus about toxic masculinity and raised awareness about healthier definitions of manhood, and facilitated trainings and workshops on topics ranging from “Candy with Consent” to “Title IX for Responsible Employees”. Abdul has written a book on the impact of the college experience and has contributed blogs to feministing.com.